Communication

Definition
Communication is a process whereby information is enclosed in a package and is
channeled and imparted by a sender to a receiver via some medium. The receiver then
decodes the message and gives the sender a feedback. All forms of communication
require a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, however the receiver need not
be present or aware of the sender's intent to communicate at the time of communication
in order for the act of communication to occur. Communication requires that all parties
have an area of communicative commonality. There are auditory means, such as speech,
song, and tone of voice, and there are nonverbal means, such as body language, sign
language, paralanguage, touch, eye contact, through media, i.e., pictures, graphics and
sound, and writing.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Communication)
THE ELEMENTS OF COMMUNICATION
Communication is a two-way process that results in a shared meaning or common
understanding between the sender and the receiver.
An understanding of how communication works can help us to understand and improve
our communication.
The basic communication model consists of five elements of communication: the sender,
the receiver, the message, the channel and feedback.
Sender
The sender plays the specific role of initiating communication. To communicate
effectively, the sender must use effective verbal as well as nonverbal techniques.
Speaking or writing clearly, organizing your points to make them easy to follow and
understand, maintaining eye contact, using proper grammar and giving accurate
information are all essential in the effectiveness of your message. You will lose your
audience if it becomes aware of obvious oversights on your part. The sender should have
some understanding of who the receiver is in order to modify the message to make it
more relevant.
Receiver
The receiver means the party to whom the sender transmits the message. A receiver can
be one person or an entire audience of people. In the basic communication model, the
receiver, is directly across from the speaker. The receiver can also communicate verbally
and nonverbally. The best way to receive a message is to listen carefully, sitting up
straight and making eye contact. Dont get distracted or try to do something else while
you're listening. Nodding and smiling as you listen to the sender speak demonstrate that
you understand the message.
Message
The message may be the most crucial element of effective communication. A message
can come in many different forms, such as an oral presentation, a written document, an
advertisement or just a comment. In the basic communication model, the way from one
point to another represents the sender's message traveling to the receiver. The message
isn't necessarily what the sender intends it to be. Rather, the message is what the receiver
perceives the message to be. As a result, the sender must not only compose the message
carefully, but also evaluate the ways in which the message can be interpreted.
Channel
The message travels from one point to another via a channel of communication. The
channel sits between the sender and receiver. Many channels, or types, of
communication exist, from the spoken word to radio, television, an Internet site or
something written, like a book, letter or magazine. Every channel of communication has
its advantages and disadvantages. For example, one disadvantage of the written word,
on a computer screen or in a book, is that the receiver cannot evaluate the tone of the
message. For this reason, effective communicators word written communications clearly
so they don't rely on a specific tone of voice to convey the message accurately. The
advantages of television as a channel for communication include its expansive reach to
a wide audience and the sender's ability to further manipulate the message using editing
and special effects.
Feedback
The last element of effective communication, feedback, describes the receiver's response
or reaction to the sender's message. The receiver can transmit feedback through asking
questions, making comments or just supporting the message that was delivered.
Feedback helps the sender to determine how the receiver interpreted the message and
how it can be improved.
(http://www.ehow.com/about_5232701_elements-effective-communication_.html)
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
This competency means that the sender is able to express his ideas and reflections
clearly, make contacts with people quickly and to maintain them, provide feedback, be
tolerant to different customs and cultures. Communication competency means that the
sender is able to look for, find and transfer different, information, coordinate all inner and
outer information that reaches the organization.
How to be a good communicator
express own reflections and ideas clearly
develop relationships
provide feedback (answers, reacts)
 be open to others feedback (accept others answer without prejudice, references etc.
respect attitudes and opinions of others
be tolerant to different customs and cultures
Give full attention to people while they are talking to you.
Encourage other people to talk, and ask appropriate questions.
Present your ideas so that others are receptive to your point of view.
Treat people fairly and let others know how you want to be treated.
Value teamwork and know how to build cooperation and commitment.
Strive to understand other people and to be empathetic.
Be able to easily win peoples trust and respect.
Check to make sure you have understood what other people are trying to communicate.
Follow through on your commitments.
Be able to work with people you have difficulties with without becoming negative
yourself.
Four keypoints of communication
1. If you want to convince others with a message, convince them that you are a good
person and that you know what you are talking about..
2. Use words that your audience will easily understand and remember.
3. Speak direct, in a conversational way for a better communication.
4. Move away from egocentrism
Communication skills is the set of skills that enables a person to convey information so
that it is received and understood.
The most important in effective communication is to know the following:
WHO you are communicating with (it's of great importance to know your audience, who
they are, of what age they are, what they already know, how many people will receive
your message, etc.)
WHAT you are communicating the communication should be adequate to the subject
WHY - what the goal of your communicate is, what you want to achieve
WHEN you will communicate the issue
HOW you will communicate the issue think about the method you will choose,.
How to communicate effectively
Connect
o Establish bond with people
o Pay attention to peoples facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice.
o See things from the other persons point of view.
o Adjust your communication style to match theirs.
o Avoid criticizing, making negative judgments, or saying that the other person is wrong.
o Show interest in the other persons interests and concerns.
Listen
o Encourage people to talk.
o Show your willingness to listen. Minimize distractions. Attend to the other person with
your whole body (your body language, eyes, facial expressions). Nod your head and give
verbal cues to communicate that you are paying attention.
o Ask open-ended questions.
o Listen to what people are trying to communicate, not just to what they are saying. Listen
to their emotions. Listen also to what they want.
o Check to make sure you understand. Use your own words to reflect what you have
heard and noticed.
Communicate
o Speak with sincerity and conviction.
o Be sensitive to other peoples communication style.
o Know what you want to accomplish. Do you want people to understand your position?
Lend their support? Approve your request?
o Listen at least as much as you talk.
o Attune what you say with how you say it. Keep your message fitting with your tone of
voice, facial expression, and body language.
Speak
o Project confidence.
o Connect with your audience.
o Know what you want to accomplish. Do you want people to understand your position?
Lend their support? Approve your request?
o Keep it short and simple. Most communication can accomplish only one objective,
develop three main points, and hold peoples attention only so long.
o Ask for feedback; was the message understood.
( Let us give you a hand in communicating effectively ABB Lunmus Global B.V, The
Hague, The Netherlands)
How to win peoples cooperation
1. Make people feel understood.
Spend less time trying to make people understand what you want, and more time making
them feel understood. In an ideal world people might make decisions, commitments and
judgments based on logic and sound reasoning. But in this world people act in response
to their preferences, feelings and social influence they might not be even aware of. If they
trust you and feel you care about them, they are much more likely to cooperate with you.
2. Find common ground
Show people how their needs, values and dreams mesh with yours. To do so, you have
to understand their values and concerns. See things from their point of view. Be
sympathetic with their feelings. Then show them how cooperating with you can help them
achieve what they want.
3. Listen.
Listening is the best way to make people feel understood and at the same time to find
common ground. Ask open-ended questions, the kind that invite peoples careful
consideration and honesty. Try to understand what people mean, without getting hung up
on the literal meaning of their words. And acknowledge their thoughts and feelings (which
is not the same thing as agreeing with them).
4. Do not argue.
The person you defeat in an argument today may be the person whose cooperation you
need tomorrow. Arguments make people stake out positions and defend them. And the
more you try to prove them wrong, the harder they will resist you. People may feel
overwhelmed and stop arguing with you. But that does not mean you have won them
over. Most of the time, when you win an argument, you lose an ally.
5. Care about the people you want to influence.
If you are concerned about the people you are trying to win over, if you value their needs
and dreams, they will know it and they will reciprocate. They will communicate more
freely, speaking their mind more openly and listening more attentively.
They will give you the benefit of the doubt and they will want to cooperate.
6. Be open for others ideas.
Do not try to impose your ideas on others only. Listen to and value the ideas of the people
that work for you or with whom you work together. Be open minded and feel confident
with sharing the ideas with others. Even request for new ideas to gain peoples support
and cooperation.
7. Help people believe the change is possible.
People often know, although they will not often admit, that they need to change.
They feel a vague uneasiness, sensing that things will not pan out the way they want. But
they persist in doing what they have always done, thinking they are doing the best they
can. Show them a better way, but more importantly convince them that the change is
possible. Do not just give them a solution but offer them confidence.
How to present
Establish rapport/bond with your audience and they become your partners in a dialog,
allies in your presentation. They will want you to succeed. They will overlook your
nervousness and lack of polish. And they will give you the benefit of the doubt even if they
lose thread of your logic.
1. Talk to people before your presentation.
Introduce yourself as people begin gathering. Ask them about themselves, what they do,
and why they are there. Smile.
2. Have your audiences best interests at heart.
See your presentation as an opportunity to serve your audience, not to impress or sell
them.
3. Establish eye contact.
Look people in the eye one at a time. Hold each persons gaze for 5 to 10 seconds and
then look someone else in the eye. We distrust people who will not look us in the eye. A
word of caution some cultures consider such eye contact intrusive and rude.
4. Speak simply and with conviction.
Do not give a speech. Have a conversation with your audience. Say I, we and you
when appropriate.
5. Approach your presentation from your audiences perspective not yours. Address
their concerns. Speak to their interests, values and aspirations. Avoid words they might
not understand. Cite evidence they find credible. If you have to use words or acronyms
they might not understand, explain them immediately.
( Let us give you a hand in communicating effectively ABB Lunmus Global B.V, The
Hague, The Netherlands)

INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Communication between people from different cultural groups is one of the most complex
areas of human communication.
Culture are defined as the lifestyle of a group, and includes the values, beliefs, ways of
behaving and communicating of that group. Culture is acquired or learnt no one is born
with a particular culture.
Some people eat grasshoppers, while others by insecticides to destroy them. Some
people adorn their entire bodies with paint and decoration, while others spend a fortune
painting just their faces. Some people speak English and others, Finnish. What is the
reason for these differences? The answer is that peoples thoughts, feelings, beliefs,
behavior and goals are all molded by what their culture consider appropriate.
Intercultural communication refers to communication between people who belong to
different cultures who thus have different values, beliefs, behaviors and ways to
communicating. Because shared or common meaning is essential for communication to
occur successfully, people from different cultures need to establish some common ground
and cultivate an open, positive attitude towards one another.
The importance of cultivating a sensitivity towards different rules and expectations of
people from other cultural groups cannot be overemphasized. The culturally aware
person will benefit not only from improved communication but also from bonds formed
with people from a wide range of backgrounds
Openness to the differences existing among people is a vital ingredient for successful
intercultural communication. An awareness of different values, attitudes and beliefs, must
be cultivated. Empathy by putting oneself in the other persons shoes enables a
communicator to see the world from another perspective. Active listening and recognition
that each person has an important role to play in the interaction are important in all
communication, but especially so when people from different cultures communicate.
Final tips
Pay attention to your body language, it can communicate more than you think.
do not try to get too many messages across. People do not retain more than three ideas
from a presentation or a discussion.
Use face-to-face communication as much as possible as people generally prefer that
type of communication.
Be aware of the danger of misinterpretation or misunderstanding while communicating
in a multicultural environment.
 Effective communication is timely and open.
Share the thinking not just the conclusion.
If there are no bad news or issues, it does not mean there is nothing to communicate.
Communication is a process not a product (information needs interaction).
( Let us give you a hand in communicating effectively ABB Lunmus Global B.V, The
Hague, The Netherlands)